Pirate threatens increased violence

Experienced hijacker says pirates now prepared to murder hostages — but security officials say the threat may just be a bargaining tool to extract larger ransoms

Richard Meade - Wednesday 8 July 2009

SOMALI pirates will not stop attacking vessels and are prepared to inflict violence or even murder crew held hostage if ransoms are not paid promptly, a senior pirate has told Lloyd’s List.

In an exclusive interview, a Somali pirate, understood to be directly involved in dozens of high profile hijackings and the recent fatal shooting of a Ukranian seafarer, issued a defiant warning to the international community that violence would be used if payment was not received promptly.

Security officials described the threat as “credible” but have warned that it should be seen as an attempt to increase leverage in ransom negotiations.

The pirate’s eagerness to talk to the press comes amid what security sources have described as a difficult and complicated set of negotiations over the release of the Hansa Stavanger , the German boxship hijacked in April. It is also understood that pirates are finding it increasingly difficult to extract larger sums from owners.

“The navies, they can’t stop us,” said the pirate, who gave the assumed name Garaad Mohammed. “How could they stop us? We have more than 200 crews and we are increasing all the time.”

Speaking via mobile phone from a village near Harardera in Somalia, Mr Mohammed claimed direct involvement with the high profile hijackings of both the Ukrainian ro-ro Faina , captured last year with a consignment of Soviet-era T-72 tanks on board, and the very large crude carrier Sirius Star , which was hijacked 450 km off Somalia’s coast last October.

He also said that he had been involved in the attack that led to the hijacking of the 1976-built, 2,579 dwt Marathon , captured in May where one crew member was killed and another seriously injured.

Security officials had previously assumed that the Ukranian crew member, later named as welder Sergei Vartenkov, had been killed during the initial attack on the vessel. Mr Mohammed, however, claimed that he was attacked after ransom negotiations for the release of the vessel had stalled.

Mr Mohammed refused to explain what had happened on board Marathon or when the death occurred, but simply said: “It was because of the ransom. They gave it late. If we get our demands we treat them well. But if the shipowners deny our ransom we punish them. That is just the way it is.”

While his claims could not be verified, a spokesman for the Nato anti-piracy operation said that the rhetoric was worrying.

“The assumption was that [the Ukrainian crew member] was killed during the initial attack on the vessel,” said Chris Davies, the bloc’s maritime spokesman. “We have no evidence to suggest that this was an execution linked to the ransom negotiations.”

Other security sources also questioned the accuracy of Mr Mohammed’s account of the Marathon negotiations, but suggested that the message indicated an attempt to put pressure on negotiations.

“It is a clear threat and a message to the industry,” said Hugh Martin, general manager of security specialist Hart UK, which has experience in the region. “Until now most pirates had a good track record in their treatment of crew. Perhaps this shows that they are finding [the negotiations] more difficult. Otherwise why contact [the press]?” Analysis — Page 2

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